


22

by TintedPink



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, Sort of Get Together, Steve and Tony and their ability to instantly be attracted to each other, Underage Drinking, but mostly it's fluff, but not really..., no one actually gets drunk and nothing dubious happens, some sad tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-09 04:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10403682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TintedPink/pseuds/TintedPink
Summary: Steve and Tony meet at a club while recovering from massive break-ups. The connection is electric, and they don't care where it's taking them, just that it feels good while they're together.





	1. I Don't Know About You (But I'm Feeling 22)

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was originally supposed to be a series, but I,ve decided to leave it as a stand alone. Maybe one day I’ll unfurl the giant ball of angst I originally had planned for this universe, but probably not. Anyway, hope you enjoy. ^_^

"Rhodey, I'm feeling twenty-two tonight," Tony grinned, brandishing two fake ID's as he walked into the small apartment they shared.

"Most people say, 'Hello,' when they come home," Rhodey rolled his eyes at his roommate and best friend, turning the page of his text book.

"Rhodes, did you hear me?" Tony asked, completely ignoring Rhodey. "I have fake ID's that are going to get us into a great club, with a great band, and great drinks. Be excited."

"I'm thrilled." Rhodey deadpanned without looking up from his book.

"Rhodey," Tony whined, collapsing onto the chair next to his best friend and wrapping his arms around him, entangling himself like an octopus. "We are going to have so much fun tonight, come on."

"Tony, I have a test Monday-" Rhodey started but Tony just whined again, most of it a show to annoy Rhodey into agreeing, and Rhodey hated to admit that it was working.

"Rhodey, it's only Saturday, you can study tomorrow."

"Not hung over I can't." Rhodey glared, and Tony smiled.

"Sure you can, in fact, I bet you'll even learn better hung over. Let's try it, for science."

"No, Tony."

"Please," Tony pouted and Rhodey didn't look, acting unaffected by Tony's childish whining. "Rhodey," Tony laid his head on Rhodey's shoulder and snuggled him in a way that would be weird for anyone but Tony, "Rhodey, old buddy, old pal, light of my life, love of my heart, please come with me?"

"Tony," Rhodes sighed. He wanted to go out, but not tonight. He occasionally took his education seriously, and he needed to pass this class, it was one of the last tests before the final, and he needed to keep his grades up.

"I'll bribe the professor to pass you," Tony offered and Rhodey rolled his eyes.

"No, Tony."

"Yes, Rhodey, we need to go out and have FUN, while we're still young and beautiful. I mean, I'll keep my good looks forever, but you probably have five years left, max, before the frown lines start to show up from all the scowling you do." As if to emphasize his point Tony poked at the corners of Rhodey’s mouth, eliciting the aforementioned scowl.

"I only scowl at you, Tony." Rhodes said, turning another page to look disinterested despite the fact that he hadn't actually read anything on the page before.

"You need to work on that." Tony grinned, jumping up and going to their pantry, "It'll make you age faster."

Rhodey scoffed, "Maybe you should work on being less annoying." Tony started shuffling through what little they had in the pantry. He was practically bent in half, and Rhodey rolled his eyes, because he knew that it was the narcissist in Tony that just wanted Rhodey to stare at his butt. He probably thought it was funny, but there was no way to be sure with Tony.

"I'm a gift to the universe. You're the one who needs to work on being less annoyed." Tony shot a grin over his shoulder and wiggled his ass in mock-enticement. Rhodey rolled his eyes and Tony's eye's sparkled with mirth.

It was good to have Tony acting like himself again.

"I will do that, Tony," Rhodey shook his head and turned back to his book. "But I'm still not going out with you."

"Rhodey!" Tony whined, standing abruptly and spinning to face him. He looked completely heartbroken, but Rhodes knew Tony well enough to know when he was faking. "It's been months since we went out together, would you really desert me?"

"In a word, yes."

"Rhodey," Tony collapsed against the counter face first and Rhodey was sure that if Tony hadn't had so much practice being dramatic that he would've busted his nose.

"I have a test, Tony."

"I want to go out, Rhodey." Tony's voice was muffled by the counter top, but still completely audible.

"Then go out."

"Not without you." Tony looked up at his best friend and the pleading in his eyes was real, the joking was entirely gone. Rhodey switched gears immediately.

Tony was never vulnerable, it just wasn't the Tony way. Tony was mock-vulnerable, he was play-wounded, he was faux-shocked, but Tony was always in control, always. To see his best friend looking at him with such obvious pain in his eyes made Rhodey's heart ache.

"Yeah, okay, Tones," Rhodey smiled and the change in Tony's mood was immediate. He stood straight immediately, a smile plastered across his face that was only a little bit forced as he started chattering about his plans for the evening, and what he wanted to wear.

\---

"This is great," Tony yelled over the loud thumping of the bass.

"What?" Rhodey asked, leaning closer to Tony.

"I said, this is great! It feels good to be back out!"

"That's good, Tones, I'm gonna get a drink, do you want anything?" Rhodey asked, indicating the bar behind them.

"Get me something strong with an umbrella, I'm feeling adorable!" Tony yelled over the music and Rhodey nodded, leaving Tony alone near, but not quite on, the dance floor.

"What are you standing around for, stranger?" A female voice yelled at him, taking his hand and tugging him in the direction of the masses. "A club is for dancing!" She looked back at him and smiled and he returned the gesture with a winning smile of his own.

"You're right, what was I thinking," was his easy reply as they fell into a basic rhythm not quite touching as they danced.

The girl was nice enough. She had nice eyes and dark brown hair that fell just above her shoulders. She was in a yellow and black dress that almost went well with his gold shirt and black jeans, the colors playing nicely off of each other.

"I like your shirt!" She yells over the music and he pulls her a little closer to reply without yelling quite so loudly.

"I like your dress!"

"Thanks!" She beamed and he felt accomplished for the night. Socializing with Ty wasn't difficult, necessarily, it was just hard to meet people when you had someone like Ty lurching over you every second like someone might pull a knife. It was sort of ironic that Ty had been the one to stab him in the back.

The girl seemed oblivious to his sudden shift in thought, dancing like nothing had happened and Tony made sure his grin stayed plastered on.

"Here!" A voice said suddenly from behind them and they both looked up. Rhodey was standing behind Tony a martini glass of pale blue slush with a pink umbrella and a cherry garnish in one hand, and a glass tumbler in the other.

Rhodey handed the martini glass to Tony and Tony took it, offering it to his new dance partner first, but she shook her head, and he took a long swig.

"Woo!" Tony yelled, laughing as he started dancing again, "That gets the blood pumping!"

"Be careful," Rhodes said as quietly as was possible with the music as loud as it was, his lips practically on his ear.

"Always," Tony smiled at his Honey Bear before returning the girl.

"Tony," he offered, and she smiled.

"Jan, I've never seen you here before."

"First time," Tony supplied, taking another sip of his drink, this one much smaller. "You a regular?"

"My boyfriend's in the band," she smiled turning her head towards the stage. "I get in free, so I figured why not." She shrugged, and he smiled. So hooking up was not an option. It was a shame, but Tony was enjoying himself, so he wasn't going to just ditch her. He didn't do things like that anymore.

"Who's your friend?" She asked after a few silent moments and Tony smiled a little brighter, and a little bit more genuinely.

"Rhodey, he's my roommate, and best friend. He keeps me out of trouble." His grin turned devilish and she giggled.

"Come with me to get a drink?" She asked, and he hadn't even nodded before she started tugging on his free hand. So she'd apparently adopted him, but that was okay. He wasn't complaining. It was nice to have someone to talk to who wasn't expecting anything of him.

They reached the bar after weaving through people in various states of drunkenness. He and Rhodey had gotten there right before things hard really started to pick up, and now the club was filling in fast. Tony nearly dropped his drink on himself because some asshole didn’t know how to use his eyes to make sure no one was in front of him while he was walking.

When they approached the bar Jan not-so subtly maneuvered him to her right, despite having been dragging him behind her from the left. It was weird, but so was Jan, from what he could see, so he went with it. He lazily watched her try and get the bartender’s attention and then let his eyes wander as he took another small sip of his drink, because what else was he supposed to be doing?

Funnily enough directly to his right was a hot blond who had definitely just been checking him out if the way he looked away and guilty flushed was any indication. Tony didn’t quite smile into his drink, but only because he didn’t want the blond to think that he was laughing at him.

The only way to describe him was “Adonis-like” with his broad chest and corded arms and beautiful bone structure. The all American blond hair blue eyes thing didn’t usually work for him, but on this guy, with that innocent little blush and the way that he was trying to sneak glances when he thought Tony wasn’t looking, Tony was entranced.

Tony took a final sip of his drink before setting it down on the bar and turning to Mr. Tall, Blond and Smoking Hot.

“Hi,” he said simply, not turning entirely toward the man so as not to appear confrontational, but not keeping his body facing the bar entirely to avoid looking disinterested. He angled himself to look open and friendly and made sure his smile looked the same.

“H-hi,” the blond stuttered just a little bit and Tony couldn’t help the way his grin spread. It was endearing, and adorable, and Tony just wanted to eat him up, in the cute way and the sexy way.

-

Tony had completely forgotten about Jan, which was good, because little did he know she had been carefully orchestrating this meeting since the second Steve had spotted Tony. She hadn’t actually expected things to go this well.

She’d gone to school with Steve and while they weren’t exactly best friends she liked him well enough, so when Bucky had enlisted her to be an unofficial wing-woman Jan hadn’t even thought to refuse. She didn’t see Steve often, even less since his break up with Peggy, but she had noticed the changes in him. He was smaller, somehow, like he’d curled in on himself and refused to uncurl, and that was saying a lot considering that Steve was six foot infinity of pure muscle. It was off-putting to see someone that was usually so happy looking so small and pathetic.

She’d decided to get Steve whoever he wanted, even a douchebag in a shiny gold shirt and red tinted sun glasses. She would have advised against it under normal circumstances, but for rebound sex, gold shirt guy would work.

Of course, then gold shirt guy hadn’t ended up being a total douche, and she was only a little bit surprised, because Steve had always known how to pick them. Only he could point to the most outrageous guy in the room and also be pointing to a sweet-heart.

At least, Jan thought he was nice, from what she could discern. He hadn’t tried to make any moves on her, and hadn’t left when she mentioned having a boyfriend. In fact, he’d sort of been a perfect gentleman while also being fun and playful. He’d be good for Steve. Maybe not in the long run, but short term he’d be nice.

It was kind of funny, watching Steve look uncomfortable at the bar for half an hour, she and Bucky grilling him and trying to make him point out someone that he wanted, _really anyone at all Steve, we’ll make it happen_. For half an hour Steve had maintained that he wasn’t interested, and “I’m sure they’re nice, but I’m really not looking-“

And then his tongue had fallen out of his mouth when gold shirt guy had walked in. Metaphorically speaking of course, but Jan was sure that if Steve’s jaw hadn’t clenched in anxiety that he actually would’ve started panting like a dog. Jan didn’t blame him, Tony was attractive, for sure, but he was also in a shiny gold shirt, and not Steve’s usual type.

Jan hadn’t said that though, she’d just taken his arm asked, “That one?” And when the fear had filled his eyes she’d headed off.

Tony had walked in with someone, and there was a part of Jan that was afraid he was Tony’s boyfriend, but then she’d asked Tony to dance, and found out that wasn’t the case.

She hadn’t thought to ask if he was gay, but watching Tony check out Steve from one of the tables with a good view of the bar she was pretty sure it was a good call not to. It would’ve been bad if Tony knew that she set him up, no one really appreciates that.

“He sure can pick em, can’t he?” Bucky asked from beside her, taking a swig of his beer.

“Yup, you gonna keep watch? I want to go see Hank.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep an eye on the punk, you do what you gotta.”

“Call me if you need anything,” she smiled, giving Bucky a quick and friendly hug.

“Thanks, Jan,” he smiled before she skipped off.

Bucky shook his head as he watched gold-shirt the not-douche chat up his best friend.

“Could’ve been worse.” He said to himself before taking another swig of his beer.

\---

Steve had been flustered to say the least when Jan had approached the gold-clad guy that Steve’s eyes couldn’t help but linger on. When the guy had walked in Steve’s eyes had been drawn to the shiny gold fabric encasing his torso like a second skin, and they’d stayed because that torso was absolutely magnificent. The look on him was open, and smiling and his red tinted glasses managed to be over the top, but also… intrigue him? He wasn’t sure what the word was exactly, but Steve was _interested._ That interest wasn’t abated by the view he was greeted with when the man walked toward the dancefloor, putting his back to Steve, and Steve flushed, because he shouldn’t be doing this. He was practically undressing the guy with his eyes (not that there was much left to the imagination anyway), and it wasn’t okay.

When Jan’s words finally registered and he watched her flitter off to him he found his heart stuck in his throat and he turned to Bucky ready to plead and beg and completely degrade himself to get his friend to call off Jan.

“Buck, please.”

“Steve, just wait.” Bucky said, and when Steve started trying to leave Bucky grabbed his arm and held him in place at the bar. “Steve.”

Bucky leveled him with a hard-eyed stare and Steve felt himself deflate. Jan was going to make a fool of him, and wouldn’t that just be perfect. After everything that had already happened Jan would just-

Crap, they were coming this way. Steve turned to Bucky trying to look casual, and Bucky smirked knowingly at him and Steve hissed before going quiet.

He risked a glance out of the corner of his eye, and wow, gold-shirt guy was even more attractive up close, with bright blue eyes tinted purple by his glasses, and perfectly styled hair. His lips were sort of perfect and-

Crap, gold shirt caught Steve looking. He was being a creep, he had to stop. He internally chastised himself, and when he looked back the guy was still looking at him. In fact, he had turned towards Steve a little and-

“Hi,” Gold shirt guy said, smiling a smile that was too beautiful to be directed at Steve.

“H-hi,” He stuttered, and wow, he was an idiot. Two letters, one syllable. Gold-shirt probably thought he was a huge idiot.

“I’m Tony,” The guy said like he hadn’t even noticed, and Steve tried to smile, but he was nervous. It was like meeting Peggy all over again, but it felt stronger somehow. The butterflies in his stomach were making him sort of nauseous, but when the Tony’s eyes took their time trailing up and down Steve’s body Steve found just a little bit of courage and his smile became more genuine.

“Steve.”

Tony’s smile widened, if that was even possible, and Steve felt sort of like he was in a trance.

“Wanna get out of here?” Tony asked, and Steve was taken a back. Was this how things like this worked? He barely knew the guy’s name.

“Hey, it’s cool if you don’t,” He said, that smile never leaving his face, or even faltering. His eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, they were honest and mirthful, and so perfect… “I was just offering because I could feel your eyes on me, and let me tell you, you are not so bad looking yourself.” Tony leaned in closer, and Steve felt the flush spread down his neck.  “Also, I might be curious about how far down that blush goes. It’s cute.”

Tony’s entire face softens, becoming light and playful. Steve flushes deeper still, looking away from Tony, but he can’t manage it for long. “Really? – I mean-“

“Yeah,” Tony’s smile stays soft, and Steve finds himself smiling back just as softly at this strange man who may or may not be hitting on him, but was extremely attractive, and wow, Steve wouldn’t mind kissing him.

The silence is nice, until Steve realizes it’s silent and rushes to try and fill it with something, anything, to avoid the man getting bored and leaving.

“What- I mean, uh- what’s- what do you do?” He finally manages to choke out, and he feels himself go entirely red.

Tony laughs but it’s not a cruel laugh, it’s kind of fond and maybe a little exasperated and he leans in closer, running his thumb idly over the back of Steve’s hand where his knuckles are turning white from clutching the bar. “I’m a student,” he says simply and Steve smiles, because this is familiar territory.

“What are you studying?” He continues, and Tony’s eyes light up.

“Physics, I’m actually working on a Master’s degree right now, but just so I can get my doctorates, plural.” He looks so proud of himself, and Steve believes that he deserves to be proud. He couldn’t be much older than Steve, and he already had a Bachelor’s degree.

Suddenly Tony is attractive, intelligent, and… way out of his league. Steve shuffles his feet and looks away from Tony, but he just dips himself a little to catch Steve’s eyes and smiles. “What about you, gorgeous? What are you studying?”

The calm way that Tony speaks to him helps Steve real in his nerves and he almost doesn’t stutter at all when he says, “Art?” It comes out more like a question than an answer, but Tony doesn’t seem to mind.  
“Really?” Tony asked, and his eyes are dancing with interest and it takes Steve a moment to comprehend that that interest is in _him_. It’s surreal.

“Yeah, I’m a sophomore,” He says sheepishly and Tony smiles.

“That seems normal enough.” Tony tells him and somehow he makes it feel like a reassurance. “I’d be a sophomore too if I wasn’t a genius. I was the nerd people picked on before I was the hot young thing you see before you.” Tony gesture’s down his body, and Steve doesn’t hesitate to let his eyes follow the gesture.

Steve is sure that Tony is too good to be true. He’s so genuine, and attractive, and picturing Tony in a pair of oversized glasses should not be as cute as it is. He tries to swat the picture out of his brain but before he can Tony has grabbed his attention again and all Steve sees in his mind’s eye is Tony is a pair of oversized glasses, smile as shy as Steve’s own, and it does a lot to humanize him in Steve’s eye.

He tries not to dwell on the “people picked on” part of the sentence, lest he start trying to defend the honor of someone who he’d just met, and probably didn’t need defending in the first place.

“Are you any good?” Tony asks, and it takes Steve a minute to realize what it is that he’s talking about. Art.

“Uh- yeah, I mean, I think so, but I can’t speak for-“

“Draw me something.” Tony said, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket (how had he managed to fit it in there. His pants were so _tight_.) and ripping it in half before handing Steve a tiny pencil with a blunt point. “I’ll write you an equation, and we can demonstrate our mastery.”

Tony seemed so sure of himself Steve couldn’t see how he could refuse. Despite his own hatred of rushing his work, he took the paper and pencil and set doodling.

It had started out as a formless figure, quick and rough, a head, then some shoulders in a slight profile. He didn’t realize until he started glancing up at Tony for reference to eye placement that he was drawing a doodle of Tony. He drew without really thinking, just letting the creative part of his brain do what it wanted. When Tony in a pair of large nerdy glasses with some tape in the middle and wide innocent eyes and long, perfect lashes that he couldn’t do justice with the stupid, blunt pencil formed on the page he was only semi-aware of what he’d done.

“Wow,” Tony says, stopping Steve in his tracks. “That’s really good.” Tony was practically on top of him, leaning over to get a better look at Steve’s work.

The flush that had almost disappeared was back in an instant, and Steve preened at the compliment, because it sounded so earnest coming from Tony.

“Thanks,” Steve smiled shyly up at Tony from where he was leaned over the bar. Steve slid the little piece of paper towards him and Tony picked it up, studying it like it was something far more than a quick doodle. Steve felt sort of honored, but also wary. It wasn’t too late for Tony to decide that he didn’t like Steve’s art, and,2 even though he knew that it was stupid, he really cared about Tony’s opinion.

“Here’s my contribution,” Tony said, handing Steve a complex looking equation. Steve looked at it like maybe he’d understand, and he laughed out loud when he realized that at the end of all the unintelligible math garble, there was a ten digit number written at the bottom of the paper, followed by a less than three, followed by a semicolon and a closing parentheses. [xxx-xxx-xxxx <3 ;) ]

“That’s some serious math, right there,” Tony said, still studying the drawing. “I like this little edition.” Tony tapped the tape on the glasses, and Steve flushed. “I actually did have to do that once,” Tony smiled up at Steve, and Steve felt his breath catch. It was stupid, because Tony had been smiling almost non-stop since he met him, but something was just different now. Tony liked his art, Tony gave him an equation that added up to his phone number. Tony was a nerd before he was a hot guy in a gold shirt with eyes so blue that he wanted to drown in them. Tony… was attainable, and interesting and…

Steve’s mouth moved of it’s own accord.

“Do you still wanna get out of here?”

Tony’s eyes widened, and then his grin was back and he took Steve’s hand. “Yeah.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Steve take a ride, get donuts, and kiss.  
> It's adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd all mistakes are my own. I did shoddy research on how motorcycle riding words, so please feel free to correct me if you know more than I do.  
> Steve and Tony have their first kiss this chapter, and It's Adorable.

Steve, the blond Adonis, was not only hot, and cute, he was interesting, and when Steve asked if Tony wanted to get out of there, he was only a little surprised, and he didn’t even hesitate. He took Steve’s hand and led him out of the club. He wasn’t sure exactly what Steve wanted from him, but he didn’t care. Whether it was one night, or an occasional booty call, or something longer term, he’d give it to him, because Steve was sweet in a way that no one ever really was with him.

“Where are we going?” Steve asked and Tony turned back to look at him, smiling. He hadn’t managed to stop smiling around Steve, it was like just his presence made him happy, warm, in a way that nothing had before.

Only Tony would fall in rebound love after knowing someone for ten minutes, but they had been ten really great minutes. The best ten minutes he’d ever spent in a club, in fact.

“You tell me, Handsome,” he said, watching the blush crawl up Steve’s face at the endearment.

“You’re doing that on purpose.” Steve said aloud as he realized it, and Tony shrugged, acting nonchalant.

“Maybe. You’re cute when you blush,” He said honestly, and that only made Steve blush deeper. A part of Tony wanted to know how far down that (extremely adorable) blush went. Steve’s tee shirt was just a little bit too tight, and Tony thought he could make out his abs. That was hot. As innocent as Steve seemed to be though, it probably wasn’t a good idea to suggest anything explicit before he did.

“I parked my bike this way.” Steve said, tugging his hand and that was… unexpected. And hot.

“We can take it, if you want?” The offer was tentative, but there was the slightest glint in Steve’s eye that made Tony think that Steve knew what he was doing, offering to drive him around on a motorcycle.

He hoped it was a motorcycle. He was not riding on this guy’s handlebars, no matter how hot he was.

“I love a good motorcycle,” Tony shrugged, and Steve smiled.

“Come on then.” Steve tugged on his hand again, leading Tony in the opposite direction, and Tony realized that he was just a little bit buzzed.

“You haven’t had anything to drink, have you?” Tony asked him and now it was Steve’s turn to look over his shoulder at Tony, flashing a cheeky grin that Tony could fall for if he let himself (and who was he kidding, he was definitely letting himself).

“Just a lemonade. You only had the one, right?”

“Not even one,” Tony assured him, and Steve smiled.

“Good, I wouldn’t want you falling off.”

“I’ll hold on tight,” Tony winked and Steve flushed, then laughed.

“I’ll hold you to that.” He said continuing their short walk, tugging Tony behind him. He let his eyes wander up and down Steve’s back, lingering on the breadth of his shoulders, and the “V” of his waist, and his really nice butt…

“Please do.”

He heard Steve huff out a laugh and Tony felt a blush of his own creep up his neck, but if Steve didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.

“You ever been a passenger before?” Steve asked, and Tony nodded.

“Great, so you know the drill?”

“Yeah,” Tony smiled when they got to Steve’s bike, and before his brain could even start evaluating it Steve was pulling out two helmets, and Tony smiled fondly, suppressing a little laugh, because of course Mr. All American carried around an extra helmet, just in case. He was practically perfect.

“Something funny?” Steve asked, handing the second helmet to Tony.

“You,” Tony said with a smile that wasn’t even slightly mocking, and Steve’s eyes softened a little.

When they were both on and Steve had the bike started up, Tony was only a little bit hesitant to wrap his arms around Steve’s waist. Their helmets almost knocked together, because Steve was significantly taller than him, but Tony managed just fine, leaning his helmeted head against Steve’s shoulder, and Tony couldn’t see it, but Steve smiled at that.

“Where to?” Steve asked, and Tony bit his lip, thinking about places that weren’t too far, but were also actually fun this time of night.

“You hungry, I know a great place to get donuts.”

“Sounds good,” Steve laughed, and he touched Tony’s hands to make sure that he held on tight before he started off.

Tony couldn’t help it. He screamed. He hadn’t ridden on the back of a motorcycle since he was seventeen, and it was just as exhilarating as he remembered. If Steve’s slight shaking was an indication he was laughing at Tony, but something told him that there was no malice in Steve’s laugher. It was pure mirth, and that Tony smile, warmth pooling in his chest in a way that would’ve worried him if Steve hadn’t seemed like such an upstanding guy.

He didn’t really understand why he was so attached to Steve. For all he knew Steve was an ax murderer. For all Steve knew Tony was an ax murderer.

But where would Tony keep an ax?

“Which way?” Steve asked, drawing Tony from his absent-minded ramblings and Tony pointed left at the stop light. Steve was a courteous driver, always giving Tony some kind of warning before starting off, and always coming to slow gentle stops. It was a pleasure to ride with him, and Tony started giving instruction to Steve in his ear so he wouldn’t have to remove himself from where he was comfortably pressed against Steve’s back to point and indicate in ways that didn’t blocked Steve’s view. It was kind of magical, and he was only being a little bit hyperbolic. Steve parked and Tony waited until Steve gave the okay before getting off.

“Welcome to my home away from home.” Tony smiled, handing Steve the helmet. “The donuts, the coffee, and the various other hot things are delicious. A perfect place to… do something.” Tony shrugged, and then turned back to look at Steve. He was smiling a half grin that was caught somewhere between fondness and exasperation and Tony returned it with a smile of his own.

“Well, what are we waiting for then?” Steve started towards the little donut place and Tony took his hand without even thinking. He didn’t see the blush that crawled up Steve’s face, and he didn’t even take notice of the little bit of sweat on Steve’s palms, because this was shaping up to be a great night.

“Hey, May,” Tony smiled at the middle aged woman behind the counter, and her face lit up in obvious recognition. She was a pretty woman, and she seemed nice enough. The little shop was clean and smelled heavenly with an assortment of mismatched but oddly fitting chairs and tables scattered around the front of the store. There was a counter with a glass bottom and two huge display cases on either side of the register filled with confectionaries of all types, form donuts to cupcakes to cookies, and Steve was pretty sure he even saw a pie. The place had a homey vibe about it, and Steve was glad Tony had shared this place with him.

“Tony, what are you doing here, shouldn’t you be out with your friends?” May asked, and Tony tugged Steve a little closer by the hand that he was still holding, and May’s eyes watched him with interest and caution.

“I am, May, this is Steve. Steve, this is May, she could buy anyone’s soul with one of her homemade donuts, but she doesn’t because she’s an angel.”

“Tony,” May reprimanded him, but her eyes were crinkled with suppressed laughter.

“It’s true,” Tony winked at her, and Steve felt both more and less special, watching Tony interact with May. Because Tony was being just as kind and sweet to May as he was being to Steve, but Tony obviously had a repertoire with this woman, and Tony was holding his hand in front of her and…

It was confusing, and fast, and he loved it.

“Well, don’t just stand there, what can I get you two?” May turned her back for a moment, getting a thermal cup and pouring coffee into it. She put a couple of pumps of something in it, and then put a cap on it and Tony took it without even asking what it was.

“I think I’m in the mood for something chocolate, let’s try…” Tony’s eyes floated along the glass of the right display case before picking out a chocolate donut with a white glaze.

“There are strawberries in it,” May said, not as a means of helping him choose, or deterring him, but just to give him the information.

“Sweet,” Tony smiled and watched her pull the donut out of the cabinet.

“And for you, dear?” May turned her attention to Steve and Tony half expected him to blush, but he was very personable.

“What would you recommend?” He asked, and May grinned. There was no faster way to May’s heart than just letting her pick out whatever she wanted to give you. It also happened to be a great choice, because May was never wrong, and Tony found himself falling a little farther for his strange new… companion? Friend? Partner in crime?

Tony didn’t know what Steve was to him, but he wanted him to stay it.

“Any allergies?”

“No ma’am,” Steve replied, and Tony thought that was adorable. He probably looked like a cartoon character with hearts in his eyes and little doves singing stupid love songs around him, but Tony sort of didn’t care. He was irrationally putting it all on the line for this guy because he had nice eyes and a nice face, and was just generally _nice_.

May smiled at Steve and picked out a pink donut with a chocolate glaze, that Tony knew was amazing. She placed it on a napkin beside Tony’s and got Steve a hot chocolate, and Tony was pretty sure she’d put some strawberry in that too, and he couldn’t wait to see the look on Steve’s face.

Tony handed over his card before May could say how much it was, (good donuts don’t come cheap) and when Steve tried to insist on half Tony countered that he was making up for the gas that Steve was using.

Steve grudgingly accepted, but only because he really didn’t think that he’d win against Tony. Tony grinned and grabbed his donut and went to take a seat.

There was a couple of late night stragglers in this time of night, but it wasn’t crowded. May’s had a tendency to draw a crowd, because it was delicious. Not everyone knew about it, but the people who did loved it.

They sat down at one of the smaller two person tables and Steve watched Tony for some sort of signal, though Tony wasn’t sure exactly what kind.

“Try it,” Tony said, gesturing to the donut, and Steve smiled warily, biting his lip, and Tony tried not to think about how hot that was, because it was Hot. Steve took a first tentative bite and the moan of satisfaction he produced was positively _dirty._ Tony loved it, and wanted to draw moans like that out of Steve himself-

But he wasn’t going to go there, because this was supposed to be nice.

“This is delicious,” Steve said around his next bite (a mouthful, Tony might have added). He closed his eyes to savor the confection and Tony took the moment to study his face.

His bone structure was wonderful. He was clean shaved with no sign of stubble, so he’d probably shaved before going out. His hair was neatly groomed in a way that screamed “I’m a good boy” and “Please ruffle me.”

Tony almost did until Steve opened his eyes. The bright blue of them was spectacular, and Tony would have loved to swim in them. Their eyes locked and their gazes held for an awkwardly long time. Steve swallowed, a blush coloring his cheeks before he looked away, pulling his lip between his teeth to worry it.

Tony couldn’t help the smile, wouldn’t have tried if he could. Steve was cute, adorable, sweet, and probably had a secret dark side if his lush indulgence in pastry was anything to go by. He was almost too good.

“Tony?” Steve asked, because Tony was still staring and Tony looked to his own donut.

“My turn to commit acts of public indecency with a pastry then?” Tony teased Steve, and his blush got brighter.

“I don’t appreciate that,” Steve looked away, but there was the tiniest smile on his lips that told Tony Steve was having fun, even if it was grudging.

“I appreciate it quite a lot.” Tony took his glasses off and now apparently it was Steve’s turn to stare. That was fine with Tony, he was all about quid pro quo. Steve could stare as long as he needed to.

“See something you like?” Tony asked once a few minutes had passed and Steve still hadn’t said anything.

“Yeah,” Steve said, smiling, and then he seemed to realize what he’d said and he started with his stuttering routine again. “I-I mean, you’re very attractive- and that’s not to say- um- I…”

Tony laughed and put a hand over Steve’s. “You can stop now.” Tony pressed his lips together to keep most of the laughter at bay after that, but the blush crawling up Steve’s cheeks was too much to handle.

“Thank you,” Steve slumped a little in relief and smiled tentatively up at Tony.

Tony returned the smile, and they just sat like that for a few minutes. It should’ve been weird, at least, creepy at worst, but it was just comfortable.

Someone dropped something at one of the other tables, breaking Steve and Tony out of their trance. Tony pulled his hand away from Steve’s reluctantly, and maybe hr was imagining it, but he thought maybe Steve was just as reluctant to let go as him.

They were quiet again and when Steve took a sip of his hot chocolate and made a noise that could have rivaled the donut moan Tony barely made a face.

“So, what are you going to do with an art degree?” Tony asked, mostly to keep himself from commenting on Steve’s tendency to make inappropriate noises, but also because “Art” was a pretty broad category. It could mean just about anything, and Tony wanted to know everything there was to know about Steve, down to the last detail.

 “Illustrations, for books and stuff.” Steve answered vaguely, and Tony let it slide, figuring that Steve’s career path wasn’t entirely the business of a stranger anyway. “And what about you? What are you going to do with doctorates, plural?” A tiny smile tugged at Steve’s lips and Tony returned it before answering

“Inventing, probably,” Tony shrugged noncommittally. “I have a few more years before I finish my doctorates, I’ll have it figured out by then.”

Steve’s laugh caught Tony off guard, and when Steve noticed he tried to reign it in.

“No, no, it’s not- it’s just. Here I was thinking you had everything put together with one degree under your belt already and working on another and it’s just… It’s nice not to feel like such an epic failure.”

“Why would you feel like a failure?”

“Because you’re my age and you already have a degree!” Steve defended himself, but there was a playfulness to his voice that didn’t make Tony feel like he was being condemned. Which was good, because usually when someone said something like that he felt like he was being told to stop being so smart, and Tony didn't like that.

Tony really liked Steve....

"I had a lot of hours going in," Tony said by way of explanation, "And I graduated early."

Steve leaned forward on his elbows and laid his head on his clasped hands, staring at Tony like he was the only thing worth looking at in the whole world. It was nice, and not overbearing, or malicious. Ty had a stare like this one, but it was greedy, and wanting. When Steve looked at Tony it was open and honest and didn't want for anything. It was the way old people who had been married for forty years looked at each other, and it was wonderful. Maybe it was wishful thinking on Tony's part, maybe he was just projecting what he wished would happen, maybe Steve wasn't actually perfect the way Tony's brain seemed to think that he was, but Steve felt perfect. Being around Steve was wonderful. Tony wouldn't mind doing this for the rest of his life.

Somewhere in the back of his usually logical brain he was aware that his infatuation with Steve was ridiculous, bordering on absurd, maybe even making it's way into a budding unhealthy obsession, but Tony couldn't help it. Steve was nice and happy and really _really_ pretty. Could anyone really blame him for being in love (infatuated)?

Tony would like to see people try. How could anyone not love Steve? He was wonderful.

People who didn't love Steve were probably evil. Tony wasn't a saint, but he certainly wasn't evil, so why wouldn't he love Steve?

Tony was tired of justifying his like to himself, so instead he focused on Steve again.

"So, what's being an art student like?" Tony asked, deflecting further questions from Steve about his own education.

"It's fun, I guess." Steve is smiling a different kind of smile, content but still passionate. He sat up a little bit straighter as he started to speak, like he was getting energy just from talking about art. "I only have one art class right now, because I'm trying to get all my basics done, but it's a really great class. I thought I knew what I was doing, you know, I've been drawing all my life, what more can there be to learn, but there's so much. My art classes in high school didn't even come close to this." Steve paused to see if Tony had anything to add, but Tony just nodded, more than happy to listen to Steve while he was happy to talk.

"Do you still have the doodle I made?" Steve asked suddenly, his eyes trained on Tony's hands and Tony smiled, standing up to wiggle the half sheet of paper out of his pants pocket. The sheet was more crumpled than when it started, and there were new creases, but it was definitely the same drawing.

Steve took it and pulled out a pencil from who knew where and turned the page over. He started to draw something, and Tony tried to peak but Steve put his arm up as a barrier. Tony tried increasingly strange positions to get a look at what Steve was drawing, and Steve smiled and continued to block him.

"Did you play football in high school, because you are really good at blocking." Tony says as he raises almost entirely out of his chair in hopes of peering over Steve’s arm. Steve just pushed his shoulders farther up and turned himself to the side, blocking Tony’s ability to see almost entirely, because Steve’s shoulders were _huge._ This was a fact Tony could have dwelled on for hours if he weren’t so determined to see what his new friend (maybe more?) was drawing.

"I played baseball." Steve scoffed, like Tony had offended him, but there was a small blush creeping up the back of his neck (which Tony could see because he was sort of kneeling on his seat at this point). Tony didn’t think Steve could do anything he wouldn’t find completely endearing.

“Cool, that’s the one with the big orange ball, right?” Tony asked to tease him, and Steve rose to the bait.

“No, it’s the one with the big, hard sticks.”

Tony saw his opening and he took it. 1.) because blushing Steve was adorable, and 2.) it was _right there_ not doing it would be a crime against trolls everywhere.

“Not in public Steve, save it for the bedroom.” Tony leered and Steve didn’t even look up but his hand went still, and Tony watched the blush crawl up Steve’s skin like a blooming flower. It was probably one of Tony’s favorite things about Steve, watching his lightly tanned skin turn beet red for Tony. He was considering quitting school and making it his full-time occupation. He wasn’t entirely sure how Steve would take it, but Tony would have a good time.

“Tony, don’t.” Steve said, glancing at May warily, who was paying no obvious mind to the seated couple. Tony doubted she was actually not paying attention, she was just acting like she wasn’t, because… May.

“Relax, Stevie,” Tony smiled, trying to catch a glance at the drawing while Steve’s attention was turned elsewhere. Steve just swiped the paper off the table and threw Tony a smug grin for his troubles. “Come on, let me see.”

“I’m not done yet, Tony,” Steve laughed, continuing to draw clumsily on his lap.

“Steve, you’re gonna ruin it. I’m sure your thighs are rock hard, but they’re not a drawing surface.”

Tony wondered if he would ever get tired of watching Steve blush for him. Probably not.

Tony flicked Steve’s shoulder lightly and Steve looked up, a doe eyed pleading look on his face. Tony sighed, making a show of sitting down properly in his chair and collapsing against the back. “No more peaking,” he promised, putting a hand over his heart. “Scout honor.”

Steve cocked one eyebrow at Tony, an incredulous look on his face. “I have a hard time believing you were ever a boy scout.” Never the less Steve put the paper back on the table, doing a sloppy job of covering it.

“I wasn’t,” Tony grinned devilishly, leaning forward and moving to snatch the paper out of Steve’s hand, but Steve was too fast, maybe he even saw Tony coming, but either way the paper was out of reach before Tony’s hand hit the table top.

“You broke your vow,” Steve pouted, but it was mostly playful.

“I am not a virtuous man,” Tony took extra steps to rattle Steve, mostly because he was sure Steve secretly liked it. He made a show of checking Steve out and even licked his lips for good measure. He was sure to get a rise out of him that way.

It worked, of course. Steve blushed, but Tony was sure that there was some kind of reciprocating response in Steve’s eyes. It was gone as soon as it was there, but he was sure he saw it. Tony catalogued the information for later, but ignored it for the time being.

“So, what are you working on that’s so super-secret?” Tony asked, craning his neck as if he could see where Steve was hiding it under the table.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Steve scoffed and Tony smiled, leaning closer, his face coming within inches of Steve’s.

“Yes, yes I would.”

Steve blushed, but he didn’t lean back. Tony took that as a win.

“I don’t want you to see it until it’s done.” Steve said quietly, and Tony could feel his breath on his face, brushing over his lips, almost a kiss.

“What will it take to convince you that it’s done right now?” Tony asked his eyes thoughtlessly glancing at Steve’s lips, before focusing back on baby blue eyes that were wide with either astonishment or lust. Tony hoped for lust, but he didn’t bet on it.

“It's not done," Steve said, in what was probably meant to be a firm voice, but it came out soft, another ghosting of breath across Tony's face, and it was wonderful.

"Are you sure there's nothing I could do to convince you?" Tony leaned just a little closer, and so did Steve, seemingly without realizing it.

"Yeah," Steve's voice was even softer now, barely a whisper, so low only Tony could hear it, and Tony smiled, tilting his head slightly to the right, and Steve mimicked him…

It wasn’t fireworks, when their lips met. For all his America Boy qualities, Steve was anything but the most classic of cliché’s. No, Steve was a beautiful cliché, a division of cliché all his own. When Tony kissed Steve, he was ashamed of himself for settling for kisses less wonderful than Steve’s his whole life. He tasted just faintly of chocolate, and he kissed with his whole soul, soft and kind and caring. Steve was not a drug, he was like a sunrise, warm, inviting, and so pleasant, so perfect, Tony couldn’t wait to see another one. It was completely different kind of addiction, born not of need, but of beauty, color and light.

Kissing Steve was like coming home. Tony wished it would never end.

It did end, when May cleared her throat from the counter, and the two of them jumped away from each other. They both looked to her apologetically, because it was easier to focus on her than on the emotional intensity of the kiss they’d just shared. They expected to see her scowling, or glaring, or maybe even just shaking her head disapprovingly, but there was a knowing glint in her eyes, and a tiny smile on her face, and it made Steve and Tony both blush.

Tony didn’t blush except, apparently, around Steve.

“Do you… wanna get out of here?” Tony asked Steve for the second time that night when they finally looked back at each other.

The smile that spread across Steve’s face could’ve melted the icecaps. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Grab that, there’s a great view from the roof of the next building over.” Tony said, indicating the remaining pastry and hot chocolate.

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re going to get me in trouble?” Steve asked, his grin never wavering and Tony’s eyes glittered in a way Steve would learn to love.

“Because I will.”


End file.
